She was a cat who’d seen 8 of her 9 lives...

Entries tagged with fuck cancer!

I am on an email list for Ben And Jerry's Ice Cream. I am sure that will be of no surprise to anyone. Well, last year in the early spring they sent the email with the release of their new flavors for the season. One of the flavors was Mission to Marzipan. I was so excited. See, my mother's favorite candy was marzipan. So many years as a child there was the trip to the mall in Albany to Swiss Colony to get Mom the box of marzipan candies shaped and colored to look like little fruits. This wasn't the candy but it was a new form of Mom's favorite sweet treat. I sent up the call for help- People in the Atlanta area- find somewhere that carries Mission to Marzipan, get it and deliver it to my Mom for her birthday. Several people looked. People looked around Atlanta and suburbs near and far. No Luck. Mission to Marzipan was no where to be found in the south. A little more investigation (including an email to Ben and Jerry's) and I discover that this is a limited release. Mission to Marzipan is ALL over the Chicago area but there is not yet a release date in Georgia and there might not be one.

I was disappointed but I knew there were options. I started investigating the methods and cost with which I might send ice cream from Chicago to Atlanta.

Then...Mom got sick. Really sick. She went into the hospital. My resolve was even stronger that she would have this delectable treat to celebrate her birthday and release from the hospital.

Then there was surgery.There there was hope.Then- less than 24 hours later there was the call...How soon can you get down here?It was only 4 days after her birthday.

There was a mad dash to get the house in order, make arrangements for my cats, get flights arranged and so much else.In all of that madness there was a trip to the market. I purchased a pint of Ben and Jerry's Mission to Marzipan for my Mother (and some Pistachio Pistachio for my Dad).I knew she wouldn't really be able to eat it, but much like rubbing whiskey on the gums of a dying alcoholic, I wanted her to have that last sensation of something that she loved.

Early morning I was bundled off to the airport with the ice cream wrapped up in bags with frozen gel medi-packs. I made it to the airport and was on my way through security. They wanted to search my bag. "You can't take this." Says the surly, mumbling youth with the TSA uniform. I explain, I reason, I plead."Let the girl take her ice KREME." This is from the short, portly woman in the TSA uniform as she has a strange way of putting the emphasis on "cream" as well as saying it with a very hard K sound (hence the spelling and odd capitalization).There is some banter. I am pleading on the verge of tears, Portly TSA is repeating her mantra of ice KREME, Mumbling Youth TSA won't give. The pints of Ben and Jerry's are left at the O'hare airport along with a few Irish gypsy curses...

My mother passed away on April 10th- without ever getting to try the Ben and Jerry's Mission to Marzipan.

On April 12th I was at the Walmart not far from my parents house. I was picking up some cleaning supplies and perusing the food aisle to look for a comfort snack. An awkward, acne-ridden 60-some-odd- year old stock boy was stocking new product in the frozen treats section. And there it was....A case of Ben and Jerry's pints of assorted variety. In the variety- Mission to Marzipan. I asked how long they had carried it. He told me it had just come in the day before. I picked up a pint of it.I walked about 3 steps before I sat...slumped against the large display freezer doors...staring at the Mission in my hands and crying.

It was 2 days too late...Just 2 days.

So much comes just a little too late...The doctors finding the cancer...The insurance company agreeing to send her to an oncologist who gave two shits about her care...My mother and I reaching a point where we could respect each other despite the fact that we had always understood each other...The Marzipan ice cream release in Georgia...

Happy Birthday Mom. I love you. I miss you. You gotta get the hook up with the Mission to Marzipan Ice Cream. It is amazingly good. Hit up some Coffee Heath Bar Crunch while you are at it. That's right up your alley too.

Everyone else,Take a momentBreathe.Get yourself a little treat.Look to the people you love and tell them so.Take the time for these things while you can.These chances pass.Take them before it is too late.Even if it is only 2 days too late.